I have received some sort of confirmation that I’ve been offered a place on the PGCE course – conditional on my satisfactory criminal record and health. They should be fine, except I’m not sure whether I’m a hypochondriac or a hyperchondriac! I live with the determination that there must be something wrong with me, but not the inclination to go and find out what that is! So I could get all-clear good news or double-whammy bad news. However, seeing as I’m in Lincs at the moment, I’m not likely to find out any time soon.

So in some regard, I can’t wait to get back and sort things out. However, that’s also something I’m very much not looking forward to!

Dad rang this evening, to talk about the graduation amongst other things. He seems all sorted and he will be coming. Mum doesn’t like it (at all) but thankfully she is overlooking that fact to come. However, the remaining problem was that of my maternal grandparents. My original plan was to give them the two seats I had been expecting to receive for the relay room. However, not being given these tickets meant that they would not be able to come at all. After I had spoken to Dad, Mum decided it would be the best to inform my grandparents of the news.

I’d wanted to invite them to thank them for the help they gave me in my first year. However it had always been their intention for me to show a greater gratitude by turning my father away and inviting my grandad instead. On receiving the news from Mum that Dad would be coming, I am now excommunicated from the family in their eyes, and Mum’s position isn’t all to rosy either. Even had I got those tickets, they made it clear they would have refused to come. They have made some childish threats and have effectively sought to make Mum choose between ties with me and her ties with them.

Oh… and wish me luck for my exam tomorrow.

I did however manage to listen to all of Dream Theater‘s Systematic Chaos. It improves with every listen, so I’m pleased with it.

And in the meantime while I was away in that parallel universe – the extremely localised heat-wave-cum-sauna – that is my grandparents’ brand-spanking new bungalow, the SDC has been hotting up.

I’ve had a look at "the competition" . And I don’t stand a chance! However, I’ve been pleased with the responses so far, and I’m thinking about working further on some of my themes. But we shall see!

This week, I shall be visiting another part of this country. This is my dad’s old stomping ground – Boston, Lincolnshire. I shall be staying there this week with my (maternal) grandparents. So I won’t be blogging any more until I’m back. Sorry!

Meanwhile, submissions for the SDC have now been closed. I’m hardly going to set the world alight with my three designs (apparently that’s not cheating…!), it was a good lesson for me to try to envisage and implement my own design to an existing theme… three times.

As for releasing my designs, I don’t know. Perhaps it’s best to see how well received they are before contemplating unleashing my monstrosities to the world. I guess I’m saying "If you like it, tell me", then I’ll do something about it. They will appear on the Designs page on 2nd August, I believe.

Pete and Donna were going to work, so I went to Maidstone to meet my grandparents. For the most part they seemed well. They bought me a cup of tea at C&H Fabrics and then some Fish & Chips at a fish and chips place (of all places!). I bought a jacket from Zara (though apparently that makes connotations on my sexuality) for £19, which was quite nice.

Donna made a great spaghetti bolognese, and we had a nice evening in, which I was extremely grateful for!